Device for altering the shape of horseshoes.



No. aagsas.

. Patented Jan. 2|, I902. S. JANNUS.

DEVICE FOR ALT-EBING THE SHAPE OF HURSESHUES.

' (Application filed Dc 11, 1900 (No Model-J [I Hrl -z/ linn lw l t? J W l H A -include any kind of metal shoe whichis nailed over such ground as they would not ordinarily UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN JAN NUS, OF SAN CARLOS, ARIZONATERRITORY.

DEVICE FOR ALTERING THE SHAPE OF HORSESHOES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 691,38 5, dated January 21, 1902.

Application filedDecember ll 1900. SerialNoLSQAGS. .(No model.) A I To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J ANNUS, a citi zen of the United States of America, and a resident of San Carlos, Gila county, Territory of Arizona, (whose-post-office address is San Carlos, Gila county, Territory of Arizona,) have invented certain new and useful Im-' provements in Devices for Altering the Shape of Horseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a device for altering the shape of horseshoes.

Under many conditions it is exceedingly difficult to provide adequate means, such as a blacksmiths forge and anvil, for properly shaping horseshoes, and under this term I to the hoofs of animalsfor the purpose of pro- 'tecting the hoofs and making it possible for the animals to travelwith safety and comfort choose. The difficulty of this provision is due to distance from transportation facilities, as in new and unsettled countries, where the diificulty of providing adequate means for farriery increases withits necessity. Readymade horseshoes are a well-known article of commerce. I In almost everyca-se such shoes require to be bent in some direction to fit them to the animals foot. My invention comprises a novel device for accomplishing this result without fire, forge, or anvil. It may also be noted that an anvil cannot be taken apart for transportation and is themost difficult single piece that could be carried on a pack-- animals back where railroads or even wagonroads do not penetrate. \Vith my invention, however, a device is produced in the form of an associated series or group of projections and depressions, of which there are several sizes of each, so that a cold ready-made shoe of the proper size can be placed between two 7 of the projections or depressions or outside one of the projections, as the case may be, and there held by the hand and struck and driven downward by a blow or blows from a hammer. This will either spread or contract the heel of the shoe. If it is desired to spread its upper portion, the heels of the shoe are driven down until they rest firmly upon the bottoms of the depressions, when further blows upon the toe of the shoe must result in expanding the upper portion thereof. Provisions for making short bends in the shoes are also made and for contracting the sides without affecting the heels. In fact, my invention provides for changing the shape of convenient for transportation-as, for in-- stance, twelve by fourteen inches-and it is preferably madeof malleable iron as being the most economical material possessing the desired strength and toughness, although it maybe foracombination ofsufficient-strength with extreme lightness made of the finest cast-steel, all that is required being that it be able to withstand the heavy pou ndingto which it would be subjected. I I

The advantages of the employment of my invention are numerous. It will be found of great value by every teamster traveling long distances between settled points and in all camps in the far West where horses are used and shod, and, furthermore, by every moving cavalry regiment in every country. The reduction of weight and the increase of convenience produced by my device for altering the shape of horseshoes I'consider of the utmostimportance, and. therefore claim the same broadly, referring to the appended description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a metallic plate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of an alternative constructiofi, and Fig. 4 is a detailed View on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

As indicated in the drawings, which represent a desirable embodiment of my invention, A is a metal piece which may be made in different forms, but is shown as a rectangle. The thickness of the plate A must be such that it will withstand unlimited hammering and pounding. For suclr a plate twelve inches in width and fourteen inches in length will be found extremely convenient dimensions. All of the necessary contrivances for performing the work of altering projections C C O (3 C the shape of horseshoes must be grouped upon the said plate, and therefore for practical reasons I prefer the following arrangement.

In a line near what I have called the front 1 edge a of the plate and upon the line 2 2 are formed a series of depressions B B B B B B, the depressions being separated by B to B are in the form of blunt wedges, widest at the top and tapering downward to square flat bottoms b. Correspondingly the projections C C C G Cfiwhich intervene between the depressions B B B B B B,-

have upwardly-sloping sides and flat tops. In the series as shown the projections become wider in succession, so as torender'the device most simple of operation, although it will be obvious that the order might be changed, if desired. The depressions are just wide enough to receive the thickestshoes to be used, and plates will be made for ditfer- 'ent standards, as required. The solid metal plate at the end 0 forms'the'outer wall ofthe first depression, and the solid metal plate at 0 forms the last outer wall,.so that there is provided a seriesjof depressions separated by projections of different widths. D isa horseshoe the heels of which are to be con-- tracted. This is accomplished by placing the ends of the heels within the adjacent two recesses which will just receive them,

' when by striking on top of the shoe the,heel s will be driven down into the recesses and brought together by the converging side walls, as indicated in dotted lines. Theextentto which the contraction is carried will depend entirely on the extent to which the heels are driven down, and if it is desired to contract the heels and also to spread the upper or forward portionof the shoe then the shoe, is

"driven down until the heels. become firmly seated at the bottom of the recesses 13 Bhwhen additional blows upon the toe of the shoe will spread it laterally to the desired extent. The recesses are,,it will be observed, at different distances, so that to contract the heels of a very wide shoe they would first be driven down into the recesses which were wide enough apart to receive them and then into the next and the next until the desired contraction was attained. In orderto spread the heels of a horseshoe, they are placed over the widest projection which willenter between them. As indicated in Fig. 2, the inner edges The depressions readily understood.

they are farther apart for the handling of the very largest shoes. The depressions of course should be wide enough to receive the thickest horseshoe; but it is not desirable to have them any wider than necessary, since their parallel walls when not too far apart materially assist in preventing twisting of the shoe 'while being altered. An additional still larger depression B is indicated in the rear of these described, and shown in detailin Fig.

4. This depression has a vertical wall at one end, and its bottom curves upwardly therefrom to the surface of the plate. This depression B1 isdesirably of the same width as the others and'is intended for holding the ,heel portion ofonelimb of a horseshoe F, so 'thatthe shoe may be contracted by a blow in the direction oi'the arrow, although blows may be: applied from other directionsrthan thatof'the arrow forfthe' purpose of'bending the shoe in various directions, as will be .Towardthe rear portion preferably close to one end is located an oblong boss or former G. Thisis preferably integral withthe plate, isl oblong in form, and extends upward from the plate a little higher than the thicknessof a shoe. The horseshoe g is shown in'position upon'the former where it is held at toe and heel, and by striking said shoe at either side the middle portions of the of the plate and sides can be contracted with the greatest facility. Upon the right-hand forward corner is shown a flat depression H. (Best seen in Fig. 2.) This depression is aboutthe depth of the thickest horseshoe, and its inner wall h is curved upon the ordinary line of the side of a shoe, a shoe Hbeing shown in position. By the use of this depression when it .is desired to act upon one side of a shoe only it may be laid therein, as shown, against the curved wall-h, which willsupport that side of the shoe and prevent its distortion while blows are being delivered against the opposite side. Other uses for this depression will suggest themselves. On the opposite corner of the plate A is formed a depression I, which is similar to the one just described, except that it is provided with an endpiece 71 and a shoulder j, extending-therefrom whereby the heel of a shoe can be so held as to admit of bending the centralportion of the side of the limb of the shoe, so as to put a kink into it, if necessary,'to conform to some particular horses foot.

It is not essential that thy/device for alterlic plate formed with depressions and extensions, because the projections may extend above the plate, as in Fig. 3, instead of being formed in the body of it, as her'einbefore set forth. In Fig. 3 the'body of the plate is indicated at B. The plate B is provided with one or more series of projections K K K Each of these projections is formed with upwardly-converging side walls and a fiat top,

ing horseshoes consist absolutely of a metal- 7 and they range in size from small to large, so as to be wide enough to spread the heels of the largest horseshoe, and some of them small enough to be similarly employed with the smallest shoe. Between the projections K K K are corresponding depressions L L L which form downwardly-converging side walls, terminating in fiat bottoms, which give an ample solid seat for the heels of shoes, which are driven down onto them. lhe use of this form is not different from that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the inversion of the parts being shown by way of illustratiomand it will be understood that where it is preferred to construct apparatus with the projections above the line of the plate instead of below the other features described will also be provided in similar relation.

Having specifically set forth a desirable form of my invention and the construction and arrangement thereof, it will be apparent that minor changes andmodifications may be made in view thereof and without the exercise of invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A light block of metal for the purpose described having in its face a series of sets of depressions of differing dimensions whereby l horseshoes of varying sizes can be expanded or contracted.

2. A light block of metal for the purpose described havingin its face a series of sets of depressions of differing dimensions and having a recess or recesses adapted to receive one limb of the shoe whereby horseshoes of varying sizes can be expanded or contracted.

3. A device for altering the shape of horseshoes comprising a metallic plate provided with a row or rows of associated projections and depressions upon which horseshoes of varying sizes can be expanded or contracted, and an unobstructed flat surface adapted to sustain a shoe to be flattened.

4. A device for altering the shape of horseshoes comprising a metallic plate provided with a row or rows of associated projections and depressions along the front edge, a raised former at one end of the remaining surface of the plate and an unobstructed flat surface upon which a shoe can be flattened.

Signed by me at New York, N. Y., this 28th day of November, 1900.

STEPHEN JANNUS.

-Witnesses:

E. O. SPRAGUE, FRANKLAND J ANNUS. 

